by
Elmo Leonard
Sri
Lanka has been the world's centre
for coloured gemstones and from
time immemorial has given the
world many diverse facets of
romantic overtones. Among them
is that Prince Charles mesmerised
Lady Diana with an engagement
ring, set with a priceless Blue
Sapphire. The Blue Sapphire
is Sri Lanka's gem supreme and
can be considered the highest
prized of all gems, while being
second only to the diamond in
hardness. The largest known
Sapphire in the world weighing
42 pounds, was found in the
gem gravels of Sri Lanka.
A
well-known legend says that
in Biblical times, King Solomon
in his wisdom used precious
stones from the paradise isle
to woo the Queen of Sheba. Factually,
Solomon sent emissaries to the
City of Gems in the Orient (Ratnapura
in Sri Lanka) to procure the
precious stones that won him
the hand, and then the heart
of Queen Sheba. Since, and even
before, Sri Lanka's priceless
gems have dazzled kings and
rulers.
These
coloured precious stones have
adorned their crowns and thrones
and bedecked royalty world over,
including Queen Victoria, in
recent times, according to diverse
sources on gems and jewellery.
In
the Adventures of Sinbad in
Serendib (Sri Lanka) Sinbad
became a household word among
the Arabs and Jazirat Kakut
or Island of Gems became equally
known.
According
to geological surveys, 90 per
cent of the country is estimated
to be potential gem bearing
land and the earth's greatest
concentration of fine gems are
found here with over 60 varieties
of precious and semi-precious
stones, which include: Corundum
- Ruby, Star Ruby, Blue Sapphire,
Star Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire,
Golden Sapphire, Padparadscha,
White Sapphire. Chrysoberyl
- Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye, Alexandrite,
Alexandrite Cat's Eye, Chrysoberyl.
Spinel - Blue Spinel, Red Spinel,
Mauve Spinel. Topaz - White
Topaz. Beryl - Aquamarine, White
Beryl, Pale Green Beryl. Zircon
- Green Zircon, Yellow Zircon,
Brown Zircon, Red and Blue Zircon
(very rare). Garnet - Rose red
coloured, Red, Mauve, Hesonite
Garnet, Spessartine Garnet.
Tourmaline - Green, Brown varieties.
Quartz - Yellow, White, Brown,
Rose, Purple (Amethyst). Feldspar
- Moonstone.
Sri
Lanka's rare gemstones include:
Andalusite, Apatite, Cordierite,
Diopside, Ekanite, Dpidote,
Euclase, Fibrolite, Florite,
Idocrase, Kornerupine, Kyanite,
Sinhalite, Scapolite, Taffeite.
A
unique feature of Sri Lanka's
gem pits is that there is almost
never an `illam' (deposit) of
any one type of gem. Always
there is an assorted collection
of stones like Spinels, Corundums
(Sapphire and Ruby), Star Stones,
Cat's Eyes and many others.
Among
the outstanding gemstones that
Sri Lanka has produced in the
contemporary era are the Blue
Giant of the Orient (466 carat),
Logan Blue Sapphire (423 cts),
Blue Belle of Asia (400 cts),
Rossar Reeves Star Ruby (138.7cts),
Star of Lanka (293cts.), Star
Sapphire and Ray of Treasure
(105 cts. Cat's Eye). The first
three gems are on display at
the Smithsonian Institute in
Washington USA. The Star of
Lanka and the Ray of Treasure
are in the proud possession
of the National Gem and Jewellery
Authority. |
